VIRGINIAN CREEPER 175 



larger leaves, and the leaflets are more sharply serrate and 

 entire along the lower third, and bluish green below. 

 Leaflets about 13 17 (11 19), oblong-acute, very acu- 

 minate, sharply cuspidate-serrate at the upper two-thirds, 

 the laterals sessile ; tomentose beneath when young, be- 

 coming glabrous, matt and paler beneath. Buds glabrous 

 and viscous. Autumn leaves yellow to purple browns. 



Venation of leaflets pinnate, with close and rather fine 

 secondaries coming off at acute angles and slightly curving 

 forwards; branching, and tending to break up at the 

 margins, with slight looping and numerous fine branches 

 before ending in the teeth. 



[Pyrus Aria sometimes has the leaves pinnate at the 

 base (see p. 253).] 



(2) Leaves palmate, digitately 5-foliolate, ex- 

 stipulate, with tendrils opposed to some of 

 them. 



Ampelopsis hederacea, Mchx. Virginian Creeper (Fig. 

 42). Tendril climber, the digitate foliage brilliant crimson 

 and scarlet in autumn. Leaflets 5, or sometimes 3, ovate- 

 lanceolate, ovate, oblong, or obovate and often unequal; 

 coarsely mucronate-serrate, except at the entire base, on 

 short petiolules, apex slightly acuminate. Glabrous and 

 shining. Leaflets 3 12 x 2 5 cm. 



Leaves turning all shades of purple and yellow reds, to 

 scarlet and crimson, in autumn. 



Venation pinnate, the midrib stout below and thinning 

 out above, somewhat sinuous. Secondaries strong, at 

 angles of 45 60, about \ the length of the midrib apart, 

 branching and forking as they approach the margin, and 

 showing some loops, ultimately branching into the teeth. 

 Tertiaries leaving the secondaries at acute angles outside, 



